[From The Detroit News, where the story includes many more images]

Automakers put attendees virtually in the driver’s seat

By Tony Briscoe, The Detroit News
January 21, 2013

Detroit— The North American International Auto Show is letting consumers get a taste of what it’ll be like to be behind the wheel of many new models.

In the middle of the Ford Motor Co. show floor, people can test their racing skills in the virtual simulation of the brand’s sports technology of the Focus. Technicians strap volunteers into an elevated two-seat cockpit controlled by four mechanical legs that allow the drivers to feel every twist and turn as they compete for the best lap time.… read more. “Detroit Auto Show attendees get virtually in the driver’s seat”

[From Jezebel, where the story includes a link to the performance; see Aretha Franklin’s comments, including “In 2009, I wanted everything to be live and on the real side for the moment as it actually happened,” in The Detroit Free Press]

Beyoncé Lip-Synced at the Inauguration, Betrayed the World [Updated]

Dodai Stewart
Jan 22, 2013

In the most earth-shattering piece of news since that of her own pregnancy, it has been confirmed that Beyoncé — as in, Beyoncé — LIP-SYNCED THE NATIONAL ANTHEM at the Inauguration. Oh my god how could you?

According to Nico Hines, writing for the Times of London:

A spokeswoman for the Marine Corp Band said it was standard procedure to record a backing track and Beyoncé decided shortly before her performance to rely on the studio version.

Okay, wait. The music was pre-recorded? Or her vocals were pre-recorded?… read more. “Beyonce lip-synced at the Inauguration, betrayed the world [Updated]”

[From BBC News, where the story includes additional images]

Viewpoint: The small business of 2063

By Alastair Reynolds Author
3 January 2013

Our world is changing faster than ever and, in recent years, a number of transformative technologies have moved from science fiction and the research and development R&D laboratory into the realm of practical application.

These new technologies, combined with demographic shifts and globalisation, will have a profound impact on the future of SMEs.

Who would have thought that advanced machinery and electronics such as GPS navigation tools, which only a decade ago would have seemed completely science fictional, would now be a part of our everyday lives?

Even the tablet computer, prophetically shown in Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001 A Space Odyssey, was a part of the fictional world.

But now we are more than familiar with the object, seeing it used for both business and entertainment purposes.… read more. “How telepresence tech may change the small business of 2063”

[From Reuters, where the story includes an additional image]

Disney joins JAKKS, LA billionaire to bring toys to life

By Ronald Grover
LOS ANGELES | Tue Jan 8, 2013

(Reuters) – Walt Disney toys are sold around the world. Now, children can find them in the cloud as well.

The media giant is teaming up with toy company JAKKS Pacific and Patrick Soon-Shiong, Los Angeles’ wealthiest person, on a new line of toys – with a nifty technological twist designed to link the goodies that kids lug home from the store with Disney’s stable of well-known animated characters.

“DreamPlay”, developed by Soon-Shiong’s NantWorks company, and JAKKS works via an app that can be downloaded on Apple Inc devices like the iPad or smartphones and tablets running Google Inc Android software. When a device’s camera is trained on any toy specifically designed to work with DreamPlay, it triggers one of thousands of preset animations that appear on the device’s screen and seem to be unfolding in the real world.… read more. “Disney’s DreamPlay AR brings toys and characters to life”

[From Gant Daily]

[Image: Realistic 3-D computer generated environments enable the athlete to feel fully immersed in cyber-imagery]

Penn State Pioneers Virtual Reality to help Athletes after Concussions

January 14, 2013
By Heather Herzog and Joe Weeks, Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State may be the first institution to use virtual reality to protect student athletes from the very real consequences of concussions. University researchers in kinesiology, information technology and sports medicine are using the technology to investigate cognitive changes beyond the limits of typical diagnostic tests.

Sam Slobounov, director of Sport Concussion Research Services, and Elena Slobounov, lead applications programmer in Information Technology Services Research Computing and Cyberinfrastructure, have been partnering with Penn State’s Director of Sports Medicine, Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, to design rehabilitative software for athletes at Penn State for more than a decade. One of the crowning achievements of their work is a National Institute of Health funded Virtual Reality (VR) lab in Rec Hall.… read more. “Penn State pioneers VR to help athletes after concussions”